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When I log on I get a warning message: Windows has detected a registry/configuration error. After starting the system in the safe mode I get the following messages: File is missing or corrupted C:\windows\dblbuff.sys , File C:\windows\ ifhlp.sys vmm32.vxd is required to run windows this file is not in your Path.
I found on a thread called "vmm32.vxd again" dated 9/1/03 an almost identical situation. I am a novice and need someone to walk me through this step by step. Are there any takers? I really do need any help I can get!

You cannot use the Find command if you cannot get Windows to run. According to what Oldhonest has written, files that are essential for Windows to run are missing.

Sorry about your not receiving a response before now. Most people don't realize that all versions of Windows from Windows 1.0 through Windows ME are DOS programs, nor are most people comfortable working in only full DOS mode to solve a Windows problem. I guess that is why you haven't gotten a response before now.

This is not going to be real easy. If you do not have a Windows boot disk, send me a mail with 98boot as the subject and you'll get one back from my autoresponder within a half hour or so--no spaces, just 98boot .

Place the boot disk into drive A. Turn on the computer and type the following commands and press enter after each line:

Depending on the type of hard disk problem/corruption you have, the above command could take care of everything and make you a very happy camper.

With the wrong kind of hard disk problem/corruption it could be your worst nightmare and leave you facing a format and total re-install of everything on that HD partition. And since most home users have only one partition, that means everything!

Scandisk can be a very powerful tool in resolving some hard disk problems, 95% of the time it will do the right thing.

The single most important thing to know about ScanDisk, as well as NT's equivalent ChkDsk, is that it is not a data recovery tool.

Its job is to maintain the sanity of the file system, and if your directories or files get in the way of this objective, they will be sacrificed!

Using the /autofix switch can be much like playing Russian roulette with your hard drive.

Granted, these dangers do exist; but, my professional opinion is that the risk of such damage is so minute that I have ignored them for 8 years and I cannot recall ever having al ill effect.

If you want to play it safe, however, you can remove the autofix switch and make an undo for every fix. Once, many years ago, before I started using the autofix swith, I was confirming fixes and making an undo disk. After about 45 minutes and so many undos I couldn't count them, I got disgusted and simply exited and restarted with /autofix included.

I will not argue with another's personal experience. All I have to go on here is my own and that is that scandisk with /autofix accuracy is far above 95%. I could never begin to count the number of systems I've worked on since 1995, and my standard procedure is that antivirus and scandisk /autofix is run on all systems before starting any work.

I believe the source of your problem is a result of a virus that has been transmitted by Kazaa and other file sharing programs. I can't recall the name at the moment, but will get back to you on the name.

2. Save the file to your desktop (not a floppy). Then insert a clean floppy and double click on the desktop icon for the boot file you just downloaded. This will create a boot disk. Remove the floppy and on the back side slide the little safe tab so you can "see thru the hole". Take the boot disk to the pc that is having the problems and insert it in the floppy drive and power up, it should boot to an A:\> prompt. If the PC is already powered up, just do a ctrl+alt+delete to reboot.

3. From the DOS prompt type in the following commands exactly
Sys C: This transfers the system files to the hard drive. You will get a message that it completed successfully.
C: Changes you from the A: drive to the C: drive

dir /s /a msdos.sys Look closely at the locations, file size and date of all files found. Very often there are two copies of msdos.sys. one in C:\ (root) and one in C:\Windows. On a good system the one in windows has the original file date and the one in root quite often has a lot more recent date. IF you have any questions, stop here and report back.

Copy msdos.sys msdos.old Makes a back-up of the original should we need to fall back.

attrib msdos.sys -s -h r Removes the system, hidden, and read only attributes so we can edit the file.

edit msdos.sys You will get a blue edit screen. Use the arrow keys to navigate down.

Way down this file you will find a statement saying: [Paths]
WinBootDir=0
Remove that line

In some cases there may be 50 or more hard-returns in between the last 'real' statement and this malicious code. You can safely remove the hard-returns as well. But make sure that the resulting msdos.sys file is at least 1024 bytes in size. The size is a MUST

dir /s /a msdos.sys Again check file size and date. The one you just edited was the one in C:\ and should have todays date on it. (the file size on my system is 1,646)